US2725579A - Folding adjustable crib - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 6, 1955 G. T. DERBY 2,725,579

F' OLDING ADJUSTABLE CRIB Filed March 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l .fm/enfer eor'ge T.' Der/g /a by His /I/lofngg.

Dec. 6, 1955 y G. T. DERBY FOLDING ADJUSTABLE CRIB 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March l5, 1954 fm/enbr George T. Derby by A( 031%@ f5 HNO/17g United States Patent O FOLDING ADJUSTABLE CRIB George T. Derby, Jacksonville, Fla.

Application March 15, 1954, Serial No. 416,059

11 Claims. (Cl. 5-98) This application is a continuation-in-part of my now abandoned copending application Serial No. 83,809, filed March 28, 1949, and entitled Folding and Adjustable Crib.

This invention relates to folding and adjustable furniture and is specically directed to folding baby cribs. The invention also relates to furniture legs adjustable in length and useful in cribs and in other articles of furniture.

An object of this invention is to provide a folding or collapsible crib which can be readily set up or knocked down without the use of tools.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a simple, attractive and readily manufactured vleg construction for furniture which will permit rapid and easily accomplished adjustment of leg length, whereby a member supported by the leg or legs may be adjusted 'in height.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a crib which can be easily adjusted as to height and, if desired, in which one end may be elevated above the other end.

A further object of this invention is to provide a collapsible crib wherein one portion of the frame will form a housing for the mattress when the crib is collapsed.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity Vin the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, Vmay best be understood by reference to the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a collapsible crib constructed according Yto apreferred embodiment of this invention, showing the crib in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective detail exploded view lof one upper corner of the crib of Fig. l, the portions being shown as broken away;

Fig. 3 is a detail elevational view of a portion of an outer leg member, shown `broken away, vtogether with a detent or stop means engageable with the outer leg member indicated in section;

Fig. 4 is a partially broken away side elevational view of the crib in collapsed condition;

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken along yline 5--5 of Fig. 4 and showing details of vthe hinge and brace structure associated withthe lower frame;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of Va-babys bath embodying the principles of this invention, portions of the lower frame being broken away; and

Fig. 7 is an exploded detail view of a corner of the babys bath of Fig. 6.

Referring specifically to Fig. l of the drawings, the crib construction shown comprises an upper frame member of generally rectangular configuration including side bars l and 2 and end bars 3 and 4. It will be understood that the ends of the vcrib are alike, and as vshown bar 3 rests in a notch or indent 5 in the upper end of an outer leg member 6. An upstanding post portion 7 2,725,579 Patented Dec. 6, 1955 -at one vside of the notch extends upwardly along the inner surface of bars 1 and 3, in the Icorner between bars 1 and 3, and preferably abuts against the lower surface of a narrow shelf member 8, which, in turn, is rigidly affixed to bar 3. A depending flexible transparent plastic material basket 9 is attached peripherally around its upper edge to the shelf members 8 and 10 and to the Vside bars 1 and 2, a suitably rounded or oval strip 11 being provided to attach the upper edge of the basket in a manner to avoid sharp creases and resultant tearing of the plastic material. The strip 11 may be conveniently screwed to the shelf and bar members of the upper frame. `It will be apparent that the upper frame, together with the plastic material basket 9, and including a mattress 12 which is loosely placed in the bottom of the basket, may be removed from the legs and the remaining portions of the crib frame as a unit, and Vit will hereafter be seen that removal of the upper frame permits collapsing of the crib. The upper ends of outer leg members 6 and 13 are joined by a bar 14 along the upper surface of which the bar 3 extends. Openings are provided in bar 14 to receive dowels 15 extending downwardly from the lower surface of bar 3. .Dowels 15 fitting Vinto member 14, and the lposts 7 fitting into the corners of `the upper frame, lcomprise correlated means which operate to retain the upper frame in desired position above a lower frame, hereafter described, and further serve to retain the crib structure in extended position. Dowels v15 .extend downwardly from shelf member 10 and similar dowels are provided `for shelf member 8.

The lower frame is .hingedly attached at each corner to outer leg members and serves .to support a base lor Vplate 16, which maycomprise, conveniently, a rectangular sheet of plywood, and which underlies the Vmattress and lower wall of the .basket 9 .and carries the weight ofthe mattress and of an infant who may be kplaced on the mattress to remove the vstrain from the walls of basket 9. The plate .16 .rests upon a peripheral ledge or strip 17, preferably without attachment thereto. Ledge 17, in turn, is rigidly axed to side rail 18 of the lower frame, and it will be understood lthat a ysimilar ledge is provided on the inner faces of side rail 41`91and-end rails 20 and 21 of the lower frame. fOpenings222 are shown in end rail 26 positioned to receive dowels similar to dowels 15 which depend from shelf 8, when the crib lis collapsed as hereafter described. The lower frame, comprising side rails 18 and 19 and end rails -20 and'21 rigidly aixed thereto, is supported as a result Aof the resting of extended Vend portions of the side rails on shank portions 23 of articulated hinges 24, an Videntical hinge being `provided at each corner. The hinge comprises Aa shank portion 25 at one end which :extends into 4the side rail 18 and a shank portion 23 at the other end rwhich extends into outer leg member 13. Rotation about either shank bythe respective member is permitted and thepbody portion of the hinge member 24 retains the shank ends in parallel spaced relation. A folding metal strap member 26, varranged 'to lock in straight extended position and alternatively to fold, ris arranged 4at each corner -to 'interconnect between a side rail, `such as rail 18, and a correspondingV outer leg member, such as member 27. The strap members 26 serve to brace the crib in extended position and fold to permit collapsing.

lThe lleg structure at each end of the crib is identical and, as shown in the drawing at the near end of the crib, comprises a rst outer leg member l6 connected to an opposite outer leg member 13 by permanent attachment of bar 14 to the upper ends ofthe leg members and a bar 28 connected to the lower ends of the outer 'leg members.

The upper outer leg member 6 at the one cerner o'f the crib cooperates with a second inner leg member 29 in substantial longitudinal alignment therewith, the inner face of member 6 being disposed facing and immediately adjacent or touching the outer face of member 29 throughout a portion of the respective lengths. An inner leg member 3), which will be referred to herein as a third leg member, is disposed opposite inner leg member 29 and leg members 29 and 30 are attached together through rods or dowels 31 and 32. Each of the inner leg members 29 and 30 carries a suitable caster 33 at its lower end.

The inner face of each outer leg member is routed as shown in leg member 6, to form a vertical or longitudinal groove 34 and a plurality of lands 35. Dowel rod 31 extends at its ends beyond the outer faces of the respective second and third leg members 29 and 30 and the extending end 36 of rod 31 is disposed within the routed channels in leg 6. The arrangement is such that by slightly lifting leg members 6 and 13, such as by raising bar 14, the ends of the rod 31 may be moved from behind one of the selected lands 35 into the vertical channel 34 and along the channel for insertion between another pair of lands. The lands are so shaped as to form upper sockets, such as socket 37, and lower sockets such as socket 38. If the end 36 of rod 31 is placed in position between sockets 37 and 38, the end 36 will fall into socket 38 when bar 14 is raised and will engage in socket 37 when bar 14 is lowered and when the Whole structure is being supported by casters 33. In order to move end 36 into channel 34, to adjust the height of the near end of the crib, it is necessary that rod 31 be forcefully moved out into channel 34 and then up or down to select the desired land. Since bars 14 and 28 retain outer leg members 6 and 13, sometimes referred to as first and fourth leg members, in predetermined parallel spaced relation and since rods 31 and 32 perform a similar function with respect to the second and third leg members 29 and 30, the outer faces of the inner leg members remain in contact with or immediately adjacent the inner faces of the outer leg members. Additionally, the portion of inner leg member 29 immediately adjacent the end of rod 32 is retained in juxtaposed relation to the outer leg member by the extension of rod 32 into a longitudinal or vertical groove 39 formed in the inner surface of leg member 6. The end of rod 32 is free to travel up and down in channel 39, except that such motion may be limited by engagement of the end of rod 31 with one of lands 35.

It will be seen that the groove routed into the leg member 6 is entirely within the confines of the inner surface of the member 6 and the groove forms a longitudinal channel 34 which communicates with the several sockets formed along and to one side of the channel, the sockets being tortuous branches of the groove. Lands 35 comprise portions of the leg member 6 which are bordered or defined by the groove, and more particularly by the tortuous branches of the groove. The channel 34 and the lands are visible only for that portion above the upper end of leg member 29, and only from the inside, and, except when the legs are adjusted for more than medium height, the groove and lands are completely or nearly completely hidden from view. Groove or channel 39 is always hidden vfrom view by leg member 29.

It will be understood that grooves corresponding to those of leg member 6 are preferably provided in outer leg member 13 to cooperate with extensions of dowels 31 and 32 forming stop or detent members for member 13 as described for the ends of the dowels at member 6. The arrangement at the other end of the crib is preferably identical.

The arrangement of socket 5 and upstanding post 7 at the upper` end of outer leg member 6 which permits engagement of the post along the inner surface of bar 3 to abut the underside of shelf 8 and which provides for the seating of bar 3 within the socket, will be understood from Fig. 2, as will the arrangement by which plastic basket 9 is atached through the medium of strips 11 to side bar 1 and shelf 8.

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the relation of vertical channel 34 and of a land 35 as formed in leg member 6. The end 36 of the dowel which operates as a detent or pawl to engage in the socket under the land is shown, it being understood that if the crib is being lifted for moving to another position the end 36 will drop into the socket formed in the upper surface of the next lower land. The broken line position indicated at 36 shows the passage of the end of the dowel along channel 34 for disposition into another socket.

Fig. 4 discloses the collapsed condition of the crib. In this condition the dowels 31 and 32 and the bars 28 which connect the respective leg members as heretofore described form a lower support for the mattress 12 and the bottom wall of basket 9. In reaching the condition shown in Fig. 4, the upper frame together with the basket and mattress have been removed and the members 14 have been pulled outwardly while folding the bracing strap devices 26. Resultant rotation of the leg members on hinges 24 has disposed casters 33 up under the lower frame. The plywood panel 16 has been removed and the upper frame has been placed down upon the lower frame to engage dowels 15 in sockets 22 in the end rails, such as rail 20 of the lower frame. Finally, the panel 16 is placed inside the basket 9 to protect the upper surface of mattress 12. Accordingly, mattress 12 is protected on the upper side from dust or damage by the panel 16 and is protected across its lower face by the bottom portion of basket 9. It is believed that other details of the folding process, and the interrelationship of the folded parts, will be clearly understood by comparing the position of the parts identified by numerals in Fig. 4 with the position of those parts as identified by the same numbers in Fig. l.

The hinged strap bracing member 26, as shown in Fig. 5, the sectional view taken along line 5 5 of Fig. 4, is seen to be preferably housed within an undercut or grooved portion 40 of side rail 13 of the lower frame. The inwardly extending shank 41 of hinge member 42 is preferably anchored in member 18 by arranging a cotter key and suitable washers in a counterbored opening 43 in member 18, thereby to prevent the end of shank 41 from injuring the basket upon folding of the crib.

The babys bath shown in Fig. 6 makes use of identically the same lower frame and leg structure heretofore described in connection with Fig. 1 and the bathinet conveniently comprises a framework which may replace the upper frame members of the crib, thereby to provide additional utility. The only slight modification of the Fig. l arrangement which may be desired is the provision of an aperture 44 through the plate or panel 16 which rests inside the lower frame.

The babys bath comprises a pair of side bars 45 and 46 connected together by end bars 47 and 4S from which a rubberized fabric or plastic tublike structure 49 is suspended. End bars 47 and 48 may conveniently be arranged to iit at their respective ends into sockets provided in the ends of side bars 45 and 46, permitting removal and collapse of the babys bath upper frame structure. A block 50 is shown provided on the inner side of the end of side bar 45, and this block 50 may be drilled to provide the above mentioned socket for the end of bar 47. The underside of this end portion of bar 45 is notched to receive the upstanding post 7 of outer leg member 6 and thereby to provide the correlation between the upper frame members and the outer leg members which serve, not only to space the upper frame above the lower frame, but also to brace the leg members in upright extended position. Hose or tube 51 may be provided if desired to permit ready lling and draining of the tub.

Fig. 7 shows details of the arrangement of block 52 at an end of side bar 46 and shows a socket 53 provided in theend of bar 46 to receive upstanding projection 54 at the upper end of the leg member. The inner end of socket 53, it will be understood, is covered by block 52,

and the block 52 serves to provide a socket for an end of bar 47.

Throughout this specification certain portions of the arrangement are described in connection with one figure but are merely identified by the same respective numerals in other figures without further description. The description of any part in connectionl with any one of the figures is applicable to the part identified by the particular numeral in any other figure. v

While only certain'preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described by way of illustration, many modifications will Occur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, desired that it be runderstood that it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and what is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A collapsible crib comprising a rectangular lower frame, a pair of legs pivotally .carried at; each end of said frame, a rectangular top frame, and correlated means carried by said top frame and said legs for locking said legs in vertical extended position and for holding said top frame spaced above said lower frame.

2. A collapsible crib comprising a. rectangular lower frame, a pair of legs pivotally carried at each end of said frame, a rectangular top frame, correlated means carried by said top frame and said legs for locking said legs in vertical extended position and for holding said top frame spaced above said lower frame, the confronting inner faces of said legs having confronting elongated grooves, an inner pair of legs between ea'ch of said first-named pair of legs, a bar fixed between said inner` pair of legs and extending laterally therefrom into said grooves, said first-named legs having spaced' downwardly and outwardly inclined notches therein above said grooves, and a second bar fixed between said inner legs and projecting laterally thereof into selected ones of said notches to thereby hold said inner legs in vertically adjusted position relative to said first-named legs.

3. A collapsible crib comprising a rectangular lower frame, a pair of legs pivotally carried at each end of said frame, a rectangular top frame, correlated means carried by said top frame and said legs for locking said legs in vertical extended position and for holding said top framespaced above said lower frame, the confronting inner faces of said legs having confronting elongated grooves, an inner pair of legs between each of said firstnamed pair of legs, a bar fixed between said inner pair of legs and extending laterally therefrom into said grooves, said first-named legs having spaced downwardly and outwardly inclined notches therein above said grooves, a second bar fixed between said inner legs and projecting laterally thereof into selected ones of said notches to thereby hold said inner legs in vertically adjusted position relative to said first-named legs, and a pair of depending dowel pins carried by each end of said top frame, said lower frame having a pair of sockets in the upper side of each end thereof in which said pins are adapted to engage when the crib is collapsed to thereby hold said top frame spaced from said lower frame whereby said top frame will provide a retaining means for the mattress.

4. A collapsible crib comprising a rectangular frame, a first leg member pivotally carried at each corner of said frame, means connecting a second leg member to each said first leg member in longitudinally adjustable alignment therewith, whereby the height of said frame is rendered adjustable, and means yselectively engageable with one of said members at each said corner to maintain said members substantially vertical and disengageable with said one member at each said corner to permit said first members to be pivoted on said frame.

5. An adjustable height bed comprising a frame having a lower portion and an upper movable portion, and

four legs, each said leg comprising a leg member pivotally attached to said lower frame portion-and a cooperating second leg member, means holding together said leg members of each respective leg in slidable and pivotal interrelation, detent means remote from said last means to hold said members of each said leg in desired adjustable longitudinally aligned position, and means comprising said movable portion of said frame to lock said pivotally attached leg member in a predetermined position with respect to said frame, said last means being disengaged from said pivotally attached leg member by predetermined motion of said movable portion thereby to permit pivoting of said leg member with respect to said frame.

6. A collapsible crib comprising a rectangular frame, a first leg member pivotally carried at each corner of said frame, means connecting a second leg member to each said first leg member in longitudinally adjustable alignment therewith, whereby the height of said frame is rendered adjustable, and means selectively engageable with said first leg members at each said corner to maintain said members substantially vertical and disengageable with said first leg members to permit said first members to be pivoted on said frame.

7, A pair of quick-adjustable furniture legs comprising, first, second, third, and fourth leg members, means to maintain said first and second members closely adjacent each other and to maintain said third and fourth members closely adjacent each other,- said means comprising means rigidly holding said first and fourth members and said second and third members in respective predetermined spaced relationships, said first and second members, and said third and fourth members vhaving respective confronting faces, means slidably maintaining a predetermined portion of said first member in juxtaposition with said second member, a stop member affixed to and-extending from said confronting face of one of said first and second members, the other of saidv first and second members having a groove partially therethrough to receive said stop member, said groove forming a longitudinal channel and a plurality of sockets spaced along and communicating with said channel, said stopV member being movable along said channel and se- `lectively insertable into said sockets, said groove being within the confines of said confronting face of said other member.

8. A pair of quick-adjustable furniture legs comprising a pair of elongated inner leg members and a pair of elongated outer leg members, means to maintain a predetermined maximum separation between said outer leg members and a predetermined minimum separation between said inner leg members and to maintain a predetermined portion of a first leg member of said pair of outer leg members in juxtaposition to a second said leg member of the pair of inner leg members and to maintain said juxtaposed leg members closely adjacent each other and to maintain the other leg member of said pair of inner leg members closely adjacent the other leg member of said pair of outer leg members, first stop means protruding from said second leg member spaced from said predetermined portion thereof and proportioned and arranged to extend into but not through the adjacent first leg member, and a plurality of lands formed by a groove into that surface of said first leg member which is toward said second leg member, said groove being formed only partially through said first leg member and proportioned to receive said stop means, whereby said lands, groove and first stop means are normally substantially completely hidden from view, said first stop means being arranged to engage selectively one or another of said lands to provide selected longitudinally aligned adjustments of said first and second members.

9. A pair of quick-adjustable furniture legs comprising, first, second, third, and fourth leg members, means to maintain said first and second members closely adjacent each other and to maintain said third and fourth members closely adjacent each other, said means comprising means rigidly holding said first and fourth members and said second and third members in respective predetermined spaced relationships, said first and second members, and said third and fourth members having respective confronting faces, means slideably maintaining va predetermined portion of said rst member in juxtaposition with said second member, a stop member on one of said first and second members and a plurality of lands positioned along the other selectively engageable by said stop member and adapted and arranged to permit selective longitudinal adjustment of said first and second members and to maintain when engaged a second portion remote from said predetermined portion of said first member in juxtaposition with said second member whereby said first and second members are maintained in substantial longitudinal alignment when said stop member is so engaged with one of said lands, said other one of said rst and second members being grooved to form said lands, and said grooves being of less depth than the thickness of said other member, and said stop member extending into the grooved portion of said other member to engage the selected land, whereby said grooved portion and stop member are normally substantially hidden from view, and means to maintain a portion of one of said third and fourth members in juxtaposition to the other thereof.

10. A piece of furniture comprising a rectangular frame, two sets of two leg assemblies, said sets being pivotally carried at respective opposite end portions of said frame, each said leg assembly of each said set comprising two leg members, a plurality of lands on one of said two members of each said assembly and a landengaging stop on the other of said two members selectively to engage said lands, means to retain respective portions of said members of each assembly in juxtaposition, said juxtaposed portions being spaced from said lands and stop of the perspective assembly, a leg member of each said assembly extending above said frame, and a removable rectangular upper frame comprising leg member engageable means normally to retain said leg members in vertical erected position.

ll. A piece of furniture comprising a frame, two sets of two leg assemblies, said sets being respectively pivotally carried at opposed portions of said frame, each of said two assemblies of each said set comprising a pair of cooperating, contiguous leg members, a plurality of lands and a cooperating stop arranged for selective engagement with said lands for each said assembly, said stop being carried by one of the members of each said assembly and said plurality of lands by the other member thereof, each of the members of each of said assemblies having means to maintain a portion of one member in contiguous relationship with the other member of the pair, said means being spaced from said lands and said stop on respective said land and stop-carrying members, said lands being arranged along each of said landcarrying members to permit selective adjustment of the longitudinal relationship between said members of each assembly in accord with the selected land engaged by said stop, and means operative selectively to engage or disengage respectively said leg assemblies to lock in predetermined positionV or to permit pivoting of said leg assemblies with respect to said frame.

References' Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED rSTATES PATENTS

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